RICHMOND — The candidates running for Virginia attorney general were quick during Thursday’s debate to address an issue that has become the October surprise of the election: former Del. Jay Jones’ text messages containing violent rhetoric .

Jones apologized. Incumbent Jason Miyares questioned his opponent’s judgement and suitability for the office.

But texts did not dominate the University of Richmond debate to the extent the diverted gubernatorial candidates in last week’s debate. In texts from 2022, Jones had described a hypothetical situation involving shooting the then-Speaker of the House of Delegates.

The candidates were asked to treat the debate like a courtroom, a seeming attempt to curtail the sorts of interruptions that dominated last week’s gubernatorial debate. The theme

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